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Darcy Kuemper

Darcy Kuemper Drawing Trade Interest

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New Arizona Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong has plenty of work to do in the coming weeks, especially if the reports of slashing payroll are true. The Coyotes could be one of the team’s most affected by the current financial landscape in the NHL, meaning sweeping changes may come to their roster this offseason.

One player drawing plenty of interest is goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has been asked about by the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, and San Jose Sharks. Each of those teams has uncertainty in net for the 2020-21 season, or at least could use an upgrade at the position.

Kuemper, 30, has two years left on his contract with the Coyotes and carries a $4.5MM cap hit but has been one of the most dominant goaltenders in the league for the last several seasons. Since the start of 2017-18, Kuemper has posted a 55-38-15 record with 11 shutouts and a .924 save percentage in 113 appearances. He finished fifth in Vezina Trophy voting a year ago but ended up playing in just 29 regular season games this year due to injury.

In a recent column by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, James Reimer’s name is listed as a possible target for Arizona, given that almost his entire salary has already been paid out in the form of a signing bonus. Reimer has just $850K left to earn this year, and LeBrun also notes that Kuemper is a target for Carolina. Reimer and Petr Mrazek split the duties in Carolina this season and were just okay, a continuing theme for the Hurricanes goaltending situation over the last several years.

The Coyotes of course also have Adin Hill freshly inked to a new contract and ready to take on at least a backup role at the NHL level. They don’t necessarily need to bring a goaltender back in any Kuemper deal, leaving the netminding duties to Hill and Antti Raanta this season.

Kuemper also isn’t the only Arizona player being asked about. The Flames, Oilers and Boston Bruins have all “checked in” on Oliver Ekman-Larsson according to Friedman, while the Colorado Avalanche have asked about Niklas Hjalmarsson. If the team is really looking to cut payroll, captain Ekman-Larsson would obviously be an easy target, given the seven years and $58MM remaining on his huge extension signed in 2018. The 29-year-old defenseman does however have a no-movement clause, complicating any potential trade.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Stretch Run Storylines: Arizona Coyotes

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As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues (something the league remains hopeful of doing), there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the weeks ahead, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We continue our look at the Pacific Division with Arizona.

This was the year for the Arizona Coyotes who looked to be a playoff team finally after a lengthy rebuild. The team was clearly headed for the playoffs at Christmas, loaded with star scorers in Phil Kessel and newly acquired Taylor Hall leading the way. However, the team slipped down the standings after suffering several key injuries in the second-half of the season and currently sit outside the playoff race, but if the team gets another chance at finishing up their regular season, they could surprise some teams.

Making the Playoffs?

If the regular season ended today, the Arizona Coyotes would not be heading to the playoffs. They still have a slim chance, but the word slim is optimal. They currently own a .529 points percentage with 12 games remaining. Unfortunately, the Calgary Flames would currently own the second wild card slot with a .564 percentage and both Winnipeg and Minnesota stand between the Coyotes and the playoffs. That’s three teams they would have to jump over, suggesting that it might be quite a challenge for the team.

The team might have advantages with a healthy goaltender tandem, and a defense-first system, but even if they dominate in the final 12 games, they might still have to hope for several teams to struggle out of the gate to help hoist them into the playoffs.

Taylor Hall’s Decision

The decision to trade for Taylor Hall wasn’t just for the final piece to the Coyotes puzzle. The move was also meant to convince the former Hart Trophy winner to sign a long-term deal to stay in the desert. Arizona, at the time of the trade was at the top of the Pacific Division and looked like a lock to make the playoffs. Hall was intrigued to go there.

Instead, the team has struggled since Hall joined the team, going 14-17-4 before play was suspended and it now looks like the 28-year-old will miss the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 seasons on the ice. General manager John Chayka is going to have to convince Hall, who had already decided he didn’t want to stay in New Jersey who was in a rebuild, that the Coyotes are a playoff team. With plenty of other teams ready to bid for the star’s services, likely with better playoff resumes, Hall may want to go elsewhere.

To make matters even more difficult for Chayka is that the team’s salary cap situation isn’t good right now and the GM will likely have to move out some players/contracts if Hall is willing to sign.

Kuemper Ready for Final Run?

Much of the Coyotes success was a result of the spectacular play of Darcy Kuemper, who established himself as the team’s No. 1 goaltender over injury-prone Antti Raanta. He played 55 games in 2018-19 with a 2.33 GAA and a .925 save percentage and those numbers only got better. At Christmas, Kuemper was amongst a short list of Vezina candidates with his play. So far this year, he has played 29 games and improved his numbers to a 2.22 GAA and a .929 save percentage.

Unfortunately, Kuemper went down with a lower-body injury on Dec. 19 and didn’t return to the ice until Feb. 25. While he played well in the four games upon his return, he did lose three of the four. However, with plenty of extra time to fully heal, could Kuemper bounce back and lead his team to another string of victories?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Poll: If The Season Ended Today, Who Would Win The Vezina?

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While the NHL has made it clear it intends to do everything it can to save its season this year, there are many who feel that while the playoffs are still likely, even if they come at the end of the summer, the likelihood of the regular season playing out are a little less likely. Pro Hockey Rumors has already conducted polls on who might win the Calder Trophy and the Hart Trophy. So, the next question is, if the season ended on Mar. 11, who would walk away with the Vezina Trophy?

Perhaps the top candidate to receive the award is the goaltender for the best team. The Boston Bruins have dominated all year with a 44-14-12 for 100 points and much of their success could be credited to goaltender Tuukka Rask, who has had one of the best seasons of his career, which compares to his Vezina Trophy season in 2013-14 when he had a 2.04 GAA and a .930 save percentage in 58 starts. This year, Rask has accumulated 28 wins in 41 appearances with a 2.12 GAA and a .929 save percentage after carrying his team to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. He also has accomplished that with an often injured blueline in which has seen almost every member of the defense see injured reserve at different points throughout the season.

Perhaps his top competition would be Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck. The 26-year-old’s numbers might not compare well to Rask, however, the netminder has had a tougher road in terms of challenges. The Jets lost quite a bit on defense last offseason, which included the losses of Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, Ben Chiarot and Jacob Trouba with only Neal Pionk being a major addition to the team. Despite the major losses on defense, however, Hellebuyck was the difference-maker, keeping Winnipeg relevant for much of the season and helping them to a current wild card spot, if the playoffs began today. He has already appeared in 58 out of 71 games and, while his 2.58 GAA is just OK, he’s had an impressive .922 save percentage this year.

The other candidate would be Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, last year’s Vezina winner. While the goaltender got to a slow start early on in the season, he’s been much more dominant in the second half of the season. In 28 appearances through December, Vasilevskiy had just a .906 save percentage, not up to his usual greatness. However, he was more dominant once 2020 hit, posting a 9-0 record in 10 appearances in January, while boasting a dominant .948 save percentage and was looking to have a good March as well before the season got cut down. In all, Vasilevskiy has a 2.53 GAA and a .918 save percentage.

One other interesting candidate, Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper, might be an interesting one affected by injury. The 29-year-old was near the top of Vezina Trophy consideration in December before suffering a lengthy lower-body injury that held him out for nearly two months. Unfortunately, he has only appeared in 29 games for the season, but his 2.22 GAA and .928 save percentage were dominant. However,

It’s impossible to include every candidate and there are other interesting goaltenders in there not getting consideration like Dallas’ Ben Bishop and St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington, but we’ll keep the list to four goaltenders.

For Pro Hockey app users, click here to vote.

Darcy Kuemper Returns For Arizona Coyotes

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The Arizona Coyotes are 11-13-4 in their last 28 games, and after a promising start to the season are now sitting fifth in the Pacific Division. That stretch just so happens to coincide with the absence of starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who last played for the Coyotes on December 19th. Kuemper was 15-8-2 when he went down, and still leads the NHL with a .929 save percentage on the year (among qualified goaltenders).

If there was ever a player to turn things around for the Coyotes it might just be that goaltender then, and as luck would have it Kuemper will return for the team tonight. After nearly two months on the sideline, the 29-year old will start for Arizona against the Florida Panthers. Head coach Rick Tocchet didn’t mince words about how important Kuemper’s return will be:

It’s been a long road, he’s probably been our best player for the last year, year and-a-half, now we get our best player back and it strengthens our goaltending.

It’s not a stretch to say that Kuemper has been the team’s best player since the start of the 2018-19 season. After failing to take the starter’s net in Minnesota or Los Angeles, Kuemper was given an opportunity when Antti Raanta suffered and injury and never looked back. His .925 save percentage last season for the Coyotes earned him a fifth-place finish in Vezina Trophy voting and he was one of the favorites for the award again this year before going down to injury.

In the Pacific Division, where things are as tight as possible, his return could bring big dividends. The Coyotes are sitting two points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final divisional playoff spot, but have played four more games thus far. That means there isn’t time to waste if Arizona wants to climb back up—the wins need to start tonight.

West Notes: McDavid, Kuemper, Holland, Lehner, Samberg, Simmonds

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The Edmonton Oilers are getting back a familiar face in Connor McDavid as the team announced the star forward returns tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. That might be perfect timing with Edmonton barely holding onto third place by just one point, although they are also just one point away from second place. McDavid has missed six games with a quadriceps injury.

In fact, it looks like McDavid will be teamed with Sam Gagner and Alex Chiasson for Sunday’s game and is expected to join the power play. McDavid has 31 goals and 81 points through 55 games this year and should be able to add some extra offense for the Oilers for the team’s stretch run. The Oilers have gone 3-2-1 without their star player.

  • It looks like the Arizona Coyotes will get a significant boost to their team as well. The Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Darcy Kuemper from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL from his conditioning stint. The netminder has been out with a lower-body injury since Dec. 19. He was close to a comeback several weeks ago, but suffered a setback. Kuemper played Saturday for Tucson, stopping 26 of 28 shots, and looks ready to join the Coyotes’ lineup. Kuemper was one of the top goaltenders in the league before his injury, posting a 15-8-2 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .929 save percentage.
  • NHL.com’s Tim Campbell writes that Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland isn’t interested in moving the team’s 2020 first-round pick just to add a piece to the team at the trade deadline. Edmonton is currently one point out of second place in the Pacific Division, but the GM is resistant to moving such a pick, considering the team is still building. “I’m hoping that we can compete for a playoff spot and more on an every-year basis,” said Holland. “You can’t be in the trading game every deadline, well maybe with secondary pieces, but you can’t trade first-round picks [every year].”
  • The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reports that while the Chicago Blackhawks have discussed trading goaltender Robin Lehner to the Carolina Hurricanes after the team lost both their goaltenders Saturday night. However, the scribe adds that at this moment, Carolina considers Chicago’s asking price for the goaltender far too high. However, both teams will continue to talk up to the trade deadline on Monday.
  • In an interview with the Winnipeg Sun’s Scott Billeck, University of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman and Winnipeg Jets’ 2017 second-rounder Dylan Samberg, said that he is focused on winning a third-straight NCAA championship. However, he also said, after that, he has every intention of joining the Winnipeg Jets after his season is complete. The Jets were hoping the 6-foot-4, 215-pound blueliner would sign with the team last summer where he would have likely played a significant role with Winnipeg this year. However, Sampson would like to help his school be the first to win three straight national titles. “They took a chance on me, they wanted me for a reason and I respect that,” said Samberg. “I respect the organization, they have a lot of great people, and it’s not that far from home, which is nice. I want to eventually get to the Jets.”
  • TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks are no longer in the running for New Jersey Devils forward Wayne Simmonds. There was a time that Vancouver was quite interesting in adding the veteran leader to their roster, but the team is evidently looking in a different direction.

Pacfic Notes: Boeser, Neal, Kuemper, Karlsson

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The Vancouver Canucks were bracing for the worst when forward Brock Boeser went down early in the third period of Saturday’s game when he got tangled up with Calgary’s Andrew Mangiapane. However, head coach Travis Green announced that Boeser is likely to miss the next couple of games with an upper-body injury, according to Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma. He is expected to be re-evaluated at that time.

The 22-year-old has struggled his young career with injuries, but had not missed a game this season until now. He has 16 goals and 45 points, which is tied for third place on the team. While there was some speculation the Canucks might be forced to trade for a top-six forward before the trade deadline, had the Boeser injury been more serious, that looks to have been averted, especially with Micheal Ferland close to returning to the lineup as well.

  • The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports that with the return of forward Tyler Benson to the Bakersfield Condors, it likely means that forward James Neal is ready to return to Edmonton’s lineup for Tuesday’s game against Chicago. Neal has missed five straight games with a foot injury, but could add that extra depth the team needs. He has 19 goals in 50 games so far this season. The team did add Colby Cave to its roster since sending Benson down, but the team had an extra roster spot anyway, according to Nugent-Bowman.
  • The Arizona Coyotes could be getting goaltender Darcy Kuemper back as soon as Tuesday. Head coach Rick Tocchet told reporters, including The Athletic’s Craig Morgan, that Kuemper will be a game-time decision for Monday’s game against Montreal. Kuemper has been out since Dec. 19 with a lower-body injury. Getting him back would be critical for a team that was thriving when he was in net, which netted him an all-star nomination, which he was unable to attend. Kuemper had a 15-8-2 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .929 save percentage in 25 appearances. Tocchet added that defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson will also be a game-time decision. The 24-year-old has missed four games with a lower-body injury.
  • The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson, who has been out with an upper-body injury since Jan. 14, actually has been dealing with a broken finger, which he suffered on his last shift against the Buffalo Sabres. The winger sounded optimistic when asked if he would play on Tuesday against Minnesota, but wasn’t sure if he would play. He has been practicing on the team’s third line with Cody Eakin and Alex Tuch.

Evening Notes: Lauzon, Raanta, Kuemper, Hart, Olofsson

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The Department of Player Safety announced that they will have a hearing Sunday for Boston Bruins defenseman Jeremy Lauzon for an illegal check to the head of Arizona Coyotes forward Derek Stepan.

The incident happened at 19:34 of the first period of Saturday’s game between Boston and Arizona when Lauzon caught Stepan with a high hit against the boards (video here). Stepan was shaken up, but returned for the second period of the game. Lauzon received a five-minute major and a match penalty. The 22-year-old has appeared in seven games for Boston this season and has one goal.

  • Before their afternoon game Saturday, the Arizona Coyotes announced that Antti Raanta would start against the Boston Bruins. However, the team instead put backup Adin Hill into the starting lineup not long after. The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reports that it was announced after the game that Raanta missed the game due to a lower-body injury. That could be disastrous, Morgan adds that head coach Rick Tocchet did say that starter Darcy Kuemper, who has been out since Dec. 19 with a lower-body injury, is expected to practice with the team in Montreal on Sunday and, if all goes well, could be available for Monday’s game against the Canadiens. Kuemper has been terrific this season for the Coyotes in 29 appearances. He boasts a 2.17 GAA and a .929 save percentage.
  • Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes that Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart could be back as soon as Monday against Florida. The second-year goalie has been out since Jan. 13 with an abdomen injury. Head coach Alain Vigneault said that he believes Hart could be ready soon, but much will defend on how Hart feels on Sunday before a final decision can be made. The 21-year-old has a 2.61 GAA and a .905 save percentage in 32 games this season.
  • The Buffalo Sabres need to wait at least another week to get back rookie forward Victor Olofsson. Head coach Ralph Krueger said that Olofsson was close. “When you see a player back from an injury from this time period, you know that we are nearing a re-entry, but I would definitely say it will be a week or more still…We are really pleased to see him back out there today.” Getting Olofsson back would bring a much needed scorer back into the lineup. The 24-year-old has 16 goals and 35 points in 42 games before going down with a lower-body injury on Jan. 2.

Morning Notes: Kreider, Kapanen, Muzzin, Markstrom

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The New York Rangers seemingly avoided disaster last night, as star Chris Kreider suffered an injury that appears to have looked worse than it actually was. A prone Kreider took an accidental knee to the head from teammate Mika Zibanejad early in the second period of Saturday’s match-up with the Detroit Red Wings and he did not return to the game. Head coach David Quinn, like any who witnessed the incident, was fearful that Kreider may have suffered a serious head injury. However, he told the media, including The New York Posts’ Brett Cygralis, that he felt much better after seeing Kreider after the game. “That looked like a really severe blow to the head,” Quinn said. “He wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought he would be. After the game ended, we talked, and it’s a lot better than I anticipated.” Quinn stated definitively that Kreider did not suffer a concussion, but the team is considering him day-to-day nonetheless. Kreider is simultaneously the best trade chip on the rental market and one of the Rangers’ most important pieces as they continue to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Fans of both trading Kreider or keeping and re-signing him know that a serious injury at this point in the year would have been a nightmare in either scenario. Fortunately, it sounds as though Kreider will be fine and could be back in action in no time.

  • Another surprise development from Saturday night was the absence of Kasperi Kapanen in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup. Kapanen was made a healthy scratch by head coach Sheldon Keefe, but prior to game time there was no word as to why. Speaking to the media, including TSN’s Kristen Shilton, after the game, Keefe clarified the situation with Kapanen. Keefe stated that Kapanen was a healthy scratch, essentially serving a one-game suspension for what he called an issue of “internal accountability’”. He added that it was a one-time thing and the decision was only made yesterday morning, but he would not go into any more detail. More information may emerge when Kapanen has media availability on Monday. In the meantime, speculation has begun that Kapanen, a frequent name on the rumor mill, could be on the outs with Keefe and his staff. With the rest of the Maple Leafs playing well since Keefe took over, perhaps Kapanen will end up being the winger dealt out of Toronto at some point.
  • Impending free agent defenseman Jake Muzzin would like to stay in Toronto, but Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston says that it is not that simple. Johnston hears that early extension talks have been difficult due to the Maple Leafs’ cap constraints and the potential market value of Muzzin. With St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo and Boston’s Torey Krug both considered likely candidates to sign extensions, Muzzin would enter the conversation as the top defender available on the open market this summer. While he may be willing to take a slight discount to stay in Toronto, the potential to command a top-of-the-market contract if he opts for free agency will certainly play a major role in extension talks. The Maple Leafs may be unwilling or unable to pay him even close to what the top UFA defenseman will get this summer.
  • Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom is another name who has made it known that he would like to re-sign, though acknowledging that he could have considerable value in the free agent market. Markstrom, an All-Star this season, has quietly positioned himself to be one of the best available in a weak goalie market should he opt for that route. However, Markstrom would prefer to stay in Vancouver and he and the team have been working toward an extension, Johnston reports. However, with Thatcher Demko showing NHL ability this season and Michael DiPietro also in the pipeline, the Canucks will be wary of going overboard on salary or term to keep Markstrom. The contract offer that keeps coming up is of a two-year term, keeping Markstrom in Vancouver through the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. This would give the team another year to decide whether Demko is the real deal or if they are better off moving forward with Markstrom, as either would could be a tempting target for the Seattle expansion franchise. Johnston’s colleague Elliotte Friedman adds that, as for salary, the most recent offer to Markstrom is rumored to be similar to the two-year, $9MM deal signed by Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper in October.

PHWA Announce 2019-20 Midseason Awards

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Though they have no bearing on the eventual winners, each season the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote for the Midseason Awards to give fans an idea of who is leading the charge around the NHL at the halfway point. Today those ballots have been tallied and the midseason trophies were given out:

Hart Trophy – Most valuable player

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
3. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

Norris Trophy – Best defenseman

1. John Carlson, Washington Capitals
2. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
3. Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes

Selke Trophy – Best defensive forward

1. Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
2. Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Calder Trophy – Best rookie

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
2. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
3. Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres

Lady Byng Trophy – Sportsmanship & gentlemanly conduct

1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
2. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Vezina Trophy – Best goaltender

1. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
2. Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars
3. Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes

Jack Adams Award – Best coach

1. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Craig Berube, St. Louis Blues

Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award

1. Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
2. John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes
3. Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues

Rod Langway Award – Best defensive defenseman

1. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
2. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Comeback Player of the Year Award

1. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Anthony Duclair, Ottawa Senators
3. Max Pacioretty, Vegas Golden Knights

Minor Transactions: 01/19/20

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Following last night’s results, each of the top five teams in the Pacific Division are within one point of each other, top to bottom. The Vancouver Canucks stand alone in first place with 58 points, but with each of the following four teams sitting at 57. It is the first time since 1978 that the top five teams in an NHL division have all been separated by such a small margin after January 1. Of course, not all point totals are created equal; Vancouver and Edmonton have played just 49 games, while Calgary has 50 games played and Vegas and Arizona have 51. As such, the teams’ point percentages differ more than their total points, especially in the case of the Canucks versus the Knights and Coyotes. Nonetheless, it is still a tight division, and one that has been on the rise this season to now occupy both Western Conference wild card spots. The Central Division’s top three – St. Louis, Colorado, and Dallas – may all have better records than any team in the Pacific, but the rest of their division has been overtaken. The 57/58-point range at this point in the year is nothing to criticize either. There are currently eleven teams with 57 or 58 points, all of whom are in playoff positions or just outside. So while the likes of Washington, Boston, and St. Louis might make the high fifties look light, it is actually a great pace for a playoff hopeful. With such a tight postseason picture right now in both conferences, though specifically the Pacific Division, every game counts and every little move made impacts those games. Keep an eye on all of today’s transactions here, as you never know what minor move could shift a season:

  • Many of “today’s” minor transactions occurred late last night, as 17 different teams are entering their bye week and many shuffled their young players to minors once their final game came to an end. The Ottawa Senators are one such example. The team reassigned young forwards Drake Batherson, Filip Chlapik, and Rudolfs Balcers to AHL Belleville following last night’s win.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs were in a similar boat, sending Adam Brooks and Tim Liljegren back to the AHL’s Marlies following last night’s game, which was also Liljegren’s NHL debut. Brooks has played in seven games with the Maple Leafs so far in his rookie season.
  • The Arizona Coyotes also head on bye, and have demoted goalie Adin Hill, defenseman Kyle Capobianco, and forward Michael Chaput to the Tuscon Roadrunners. Hill has played a key role of late for the ‘Yotes, but the team hopes to have Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta at full strength on the other side of this time off.
  • The St. Louis Blues made just one minor move before hitting their bye, assigning young defenseman Niko Mikkola to the San Antonio Rampage. Mikkola has looked good on the ice if not on the score sheet in five games with the Blues this season.
  • Also making just a single demotion before the bye were the Dallas Stars, who sent forward Joel Kiviranta to AHL Texas. Kiviranta is still looking for his first NHL point after seeing limited ice time in seven NHL games and will benefit from an increased role in the minors for a while.
  • Other bye week moves being reported by CapFriendly include the Los Angeles Kings sending forwards Matt Luff and Jaret Anderson-Dolan to the Ontario Reign, the San Jose Sharks shifting Joachim Blichfeld, Joel Kellman, and Antti Suomela to the AHL Barracuda locker room, and the Montreal Canadiens reassigning veteran Dale Weise to the Laval Rocket.
  • This morning, the Buffalo Sabres announced their own flurry of moves, reassigning forwards Rasmus Asplund and Scott Wilson and defenseman Lawrence Pilut to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. While Pilut and Wilson have seen limited action, Asplund’s demotion is a bit surprising. Of every player sent down so far for their team’s bye week, none have played as many NHL games this season as Asplund’s 28. Yet, apparently the Sabres do not feel that he has earned the week off.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks announced they have assigned forward Dylan Sikura to the Rockford Ice Hogs of the AHL. The 24-year-old had a more successful run with Chicago this year as he scored his first NHL goal and three points in nine games. He’ll continue to work on his game in Rockford where he has nine goals and 16 points in 22 games.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have assigned three players to their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Devils, including goaltender Cory Schneider and forwards Michael McLeod and Jesper Boqvist. It will be Boqvist’s first trip to the AHL as he made the New Jersey squad directly out of Sweden.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced they are sending injured defenseman Matt Benning to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL on a conditioning stint. The 25-year-old blueliner has been out with a head injury since Dec. 1. The team has been extra cautious with Benning as its his second head injury this season. With the Oilers off until Jan. 29, Benning’s best chance of getting game experience is with the Condors, who have four games coming up this week. Benning has appeared in just 24 games this season, averaging just 13:42 of ice time.

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